17 | diecisiete

Kim Jongdae walked the halls of the SM Entertainment building with one thought pacing in mind--something that had bothered him about the last time he talked to Florencia Orizaba. He was searching for one of the offices on the first floor, more specifically one of the SM managers who managed the modelling division. He was concerned about Florencia's health because of things he heard about her and things he noticed himself. Every day he saw her more and more tired, more and more thin, and still she managed to still be beautiful but he worried. He was especially worried because he saw her unhappy despite the fact that she tried to hide it behind a friendly smile. 

She was an actress after all and knew how to deceive people into believing certain things were true, even if they weren't. Actors were just really good liars after all. But Jongdae was able to see right through her and he knew that she was never truly happy in Korea. There was something that was missing for her, and he couldn't quite put his finger on it. It might have been the stress of her new career in a foreign country, or her relationship with one of Korea's most prominent idols.

Or perhaps it was the crazy diet she had been forced on by their entertainment company. SM had asked her--or more likely forced her--to go on a crazy diet because they thought she was overweight according to Korean beauty standards, which he and her other friends thought couldn't be further from the truth. 

He knocked on the door to the office belonging to Florencia's manager when he found it and pushed the door open once he was allowed inside. Her manager was the only person there, typing away something on his computer. He looked up from what he was doing and smiled politely at Jongdae. "Good morning, Jongdae-yah." He said. Everyone at the SM Town building knew the EXO members well, since they were one of their company's most successful idol groups, as well as one of the most successful groups in the country. Jongdae greeted him back with a bow of his head and the manager asked him, "How can I help you?"

Around his office were portraits of magazine covers hanging on the wall behind him. All of them of models he had managed in the past and in the present. Many of them were faces Jongdae recognized from the hallways of the very same building--including Florencia's first magazine cover for a Korean magazine Vogue Korea. 

Everyone at SM Entertainment--mostly the idols--were the same. Being on stage, television, or magazine covers, they appeared happy and healthy, loving their lives and their jobs. But it was different behind closed doors. They weren't always that way. Sometimes they were tired and at times appeared miserable. It was a life they loved and enjoyed, but it was a lot of hard work and sacrifice to get to where they were.

"I just wanted to talk to you about Kkot Orizaba." He started with determination. 

The moment the Mexican super model was mentioned, her manager's lips formed into a grin. Despite the company's mistreatment of her and the beauty standards she was being subjected to, she was still their most successful model yet. The modeling industry in Korea was surprised that a big name like Florencia Orizaba had signed with them, and her manager was taking all the glory along with her name. She was the company's most successful model at the moment.

"Ah, yes. She's very beautiful. She's making a lot of money for our company." Jongdae immediately didn't like the way he was talking about Florencia. Like she was an object. It was the same way he sometimes felt like he was treated at his agency. But seeing it happen to people he cared about felt worse.

"I think she shouldn't be forced to submit to Korean beauty standards when she's not even Korean." He pointed out, as though it were obvious, and it should have been. In her own country, she was fit, and she was certainly considered beautiful enough by other country's standards because she had been crowned Miss Universe. There was no reason for her to give into SM's demands when she was successful all on her own. She didn't need the company, but they needed her. "Plus, I don't know where you all get the idea that she's overweight when she clearly isn't. I think she's fine the way she is--she thinks so too--and so does her boyfriend."

The manager bluntly began to explain, dismissing Jongdae's argument. "According to her doctor, all her extra weight is in her hips and her ass. Her upper body is absolutely flawless. She needs to get rid of the extra weight so she can thrive in the Korean entertainment market." 

The modelling managers were somehow even more ruthless than the music managers. Their sole objective at the company was to keep their idols pretty and thin. That was how the company made money, and in return they made money as well. If their idol wasn't at the stage the company wanted them, it was the manager's job to get them there and they were willing to use any tactics necessary to accomplish it. Each time their idols succeeded, the managers made extra money off it too. When their idols did poorly, the managers suffered the consequences as well.

"That's just how women in her country are built." Jongdae argued once more, starting to lose his patience. He sighed in frustration and ran a hand through his hair as he continued, trying to keep his cool. "That doesn't mean she isn't beautiful."

"In Korea it does." The manager said, matter of factly. Waving the EXO vocalist away dismissively, he added, "Now if you'll excuse me, I have some calls to make. Samsung Telecommunications wants Sehun and Kkot to be the face of their advertisements for the newest Galaxy model. I have to get in contact with your manager and a Samsung representative to set a schedule that works for all of us."

Jongdae heaved a sigh, disappointed that he had essentially gotten nothing accomplished. He wanted to help Florencia and failed miserably. 

-

As he left the office, he ran into none other than the person he had been talking about with the manager--Florencia Orizaba. She was dressed in her work out clothes, long hair wrapped into a bun, and there were dark circles under her eyes. She wasn't used to the schedules that were being set for her. They didn't give her enough time to sleep or even get a proper rest. Her face was also pale with a lack of proper nutrition. She was being deprived of food and given extra vitamin pills to keep her healthy but it still wasn't doing enough for her. She was also being forced to work out several times a day. 

Jongdae thought that was exactly where she was headed, to the gym to meet up with one of her personal trainers for a work out session. She had a yoga mat under her arm and she smiled when she saw her friend. "Hey Jong." She bowed her head at him in a greeting.

Being in Korea for a while now, their customs were growing on her.

"Hey Kkot." He greeted her back, his lips turning downwards into a frown as he took in her appearance. She was noticeably slimmer already, but it didn't exactly suit her as much as they wanted it to. She was still gorgeous, but he thought her body was nicer when it was fuller. She was made to have the bigger hips and the thicker legs than the Korean models that represented the agency.

She leaned in to give him a friendly peck on the cheek, as was a greeting custom for friends in her country. Her lips were soft and warm as they touched his skin. When she pulled back, she noticed his expression. 

"What's on your mind?" She asked him with curiosity burning in her soft green eyes that were tinged with sun rays of yellow, almost cat-like. Her pink lips came together to form a tight line with worry. Already she could see that whatever was bothering him, it had to do with her diet. He was the one most concerned about her in that way, even more than Sehun was, and Sehun was very concerned for her too.

He heaved a sigh as he admitted what was wrong, what had him upset. "I think its wrong that the company is changing you. You're perfect just the way you are."

Florencia felt her cheeks burn red. "Don't say things like that."

"Why?" He asked her, giving a shrug of his shoulders as he added, "Its the truth. We all think Sehun scored the lottery with you."

"It makes me uncomfortable." She replied in something of a mumble, though she didn't exactly mean it in a bad way. She just meant it for the little butterflies that were fluttering in her stomach and didn't want to stop. Just when she and Sehun were starting to get on well in their fake relationship. Just when she thought there might actually be something more between her and her supposed boyfriend. She couldn't let a few nice words and a handsome face make her heart swoon. And worse, considering he was one of Sehun's friends and group mates. 

Florencia needed to keep her friendship with Jongdae just that. A friendship.

Maybe it was just the fact that her self esteem and her confidence were in ruins at the moment and Jongdae was giving her what she so wanted--approval, care, compliments. 

"I have to go." She said in a rush, trying to walk past him. "My trainer Rudy is waiting for me at the gym."

As she passed him in the hallway, she suddenly felt dizzy, everything spun around her and she lost her balance, colliding into Jongdae. He caught her in his arms just as her body went completely limp and she passed out, going totally unconscious. 

"Kkot!" He called her name, cradling her in his arms and lifting her up. 

He got her to the nearest couch, one in the lobby, and laid her down in it. The receptionist watched with concern and hurried to help. 

"Get her some water and call in a doctor please." He pleaded. 

The woman nodded her head and disappeared out of the room, making a phone call as she went in search of a vending machine for water. Jongdae remained by Florencia's side until she regained consciousness five minutes later. Her green eyes opened slowly and the bright fluorescent lights of the ceiling made her head pound with a headache. The first person she saw there waiting for her was Jongdae.

"What happened?" She asked him groggily.

"You fainted." He answered with worry. "You're not eating enough and working out too much."

"I have to lose weight." She countered, slowly trying to sit up. When she found it difficult, he took it upon himself to help her. "The company thinks I'm fat."

"But you're not." He assured her.

"They say Sehun would love me more if I lost the extra weight. I can't weigh almost as much as my boyfriend does." She continued, trying to reason with him. The negative comments had been so many that she was even starting to believe it herself. She believed that she was overweight and that if she lost weight, her boyfriend would be happier with her. As though their relationship were real.

Jongdae gave a shake of his head. He didn't agree with that, and he knew the maknae well. Sehun wasn't like that. If he liked Florencia, it had nothing to do with how much she weighed.

"Sehun likes you no matter what you weigh, Kkot." He said to her, disappointed and angry. He was angry that the company was making her think such horrid things about herself, and disappointed that she was starting to believe them. "And if he doesn't, then its his loss. There are probably dozens of other men who think you're beautiful and would date you in a second."

Her eyes sparkled at his words. "You think so, Jong?"

He nodded.

Still, she pushed herself off the couch and said her goodbyes to him, remembering that she was in a hurry to get to the gym. "Even if that were true, there's nothing I can do as long as SM is forcing me to diet. I have to do it. I'll see you later." She said quickly, giving him a pat on the shoulder as she rushed out of the building with lighting speed.

Seconds later the receptionist entered the room again with a water bottle in hand and the phone in the other. 

But Florencia Orizaba was long gone.

-

so jongdae's looking a bit too worried and interested in florencia. it might just be friendly concern, but she's currently with low self esteem and that makes a person crave love and attention even more. will that turn into something between them? who knows.

only me, of course. i was going to try to update musi as well, but i dont think i have enough time. so i'll try to update it on wednesday.

i was going to do it tomorrow but me and some work friends are taking another work friend to dinner for her birthday. so it should be lit and then on wednesday i have the day off so i'm going to do some stuff and pick up my check and write that update.

thank you.

-clary